Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a department of a government, led by a minister. The name comes from times when there was usually a state church.
Ministries are usually subordinate to the cabinet, and prime minister, president or Chancellor. A government will usually have numerous ministries, each with a specialised field of service. Federal ministries vary greatly between countries, but some common ones include Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Health.
Some countries such as the Philippines and the United States do not use the term "ministry" for their government departments, and instead simply call them departments. This originated largely to imply a greater separation of church and state.
In Canada, while members of the federal Canadian Cabinet are ministers, they do not head ministries but departments such as the Department of National Defence. Canadian provinces, however, do have ministries such as a Ministry of Finance and a Ministry of Education.
See also: cabinet, The Ministry.
